I Juiced Lemons Using 6 Different Methods and the Winner Was Very Clear

Lemons have long been a cornerstone of my culinary repertoire, and their versatility in the kitchen never ceases to amaze me. Whether it’s the bright burst of flavor in a simple salad dressing or the perfect acidic balance that cuts through the richness of grilled fish, lemon juice always seems to find its way into my dishes.

The vibrant, tangy flavor does more than just season—it transforms. For me, lemons are more than just an ingredient; they’re a staple that elevates the everyday.

Beyond their culinary magic, lemons are a nutritional powerhouse, packed with vitamin C, antioxidants and flavonoids. Freshly squeezed lemon juice can boost immunity, fight oxidative stress and support digestion, skin health and detoxification—making it a simple yet powerful addition to your diet.

Freshly squeezed lemon juice retains the most vitamins and antioxidants, making it the optimal choice. Bottled lemon juice, while convenient, often loses some of its nutritional punch due to processing and preservatives. So, when I reach for a lemon, I do so not only for its flavor but for the health boost it offers.

Given my frequent use of lemons in the kitchen, I often find myself wondering about the best method for extracting the maximum amount of juice with the least effort. While squeezing a lemon seems like a simple enough task, the range of available tools—hand-squeezers, manual juicers, electric presses and more—can make the job a bit more complex than it initially seems. The right technique can make a world of difference, especially when you're trying to extract every last drop of that precious juice.

To help you find the very best way to juice lemons, I headed outside to my lemon tree (no joke), grabbed some fruit and got to work. At the end of my experiment, I had a clear winner. Read on for all of the juicy details.

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The Best Way to Prep a Lemon for Juicing

Before we get started, a few notes on prepping your lemons. When it comes to efficiency and effectiveness, the real measure is how easily you can extract the maximum amount of juice. To ensure this, there are two essential steps I always recommend, whether you're juicing oranges, lemons or limes.

1. Roll Your Fruit: Always roll your fruit on the counter before juicing. Gently apply pressure while rolling—just enough to soften without damaging the skin. This simple step helps break the membranes inside the fruit, resulting in more juice when you go to squeeze.

2. Use Room-Temperature Fruit: Always let your fruit sit at room temperature for a bit before juicing. Warm citrus yields significantly more liquid than if it were cold, and the pulp becomes softer, making it easier to extract every last drop. If you store your lemons in the fridge, let them rest on the counter for about 30 minutes to an hour for the best results.

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How I Tested These Lemon-Juicing Methods

To find the most streamlined way to extract citrus juice, I tested six different methods, aiming to maximize yield while minimizing effort. I evaluated each based on ease of use, how much pulp and seeds were left behind, and how much cleanup was required.

While I used ripe, similarly sized lemons for consistency during our testing, each of these methods would work just as well for oranges and limes. Interestingly, the overall yield for each method was very similar, but each had its own unique set of advantages and challenges. From hand-squeezing to more advanced gadgets, each option has its pros and cons. Below, we’ve ranked them from least effective to most efficient to help you find the best option for your needs.

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6 Lemon-Juicing Methods Ranked from Worst to Best

6. Cut in Half and Squeeze with Tongs

This method proved to be more trouble than it’s worth. Despite its promise of efficiency and the convenience of using tongs that most people already have on hand—no additional tools needed—the squeezed fruit slipped out before I could extract any juice, causing a mess on the floor. Unless you have a foolproof way to stabilize the fruit while squeezing, I wouldn't recommend this option. This method's unpredictability makes it both frustrating and messy.

5. Cut lengthwise

Despite internet promises, I also found minimal benefit in cutting the lemon lengthwise vs cutting it crosswise. The juice output was comparable to cutting it horizontally, but this method resulted in many more seeds that had to be strained. Straining the juice through a sieve to catch any pulp or seeds is easy enough; however, that extra step (and the extra item to clean) is exactly what wasn't ideal. There’s no real advantage to this approach, and I wouldn’t recommend it if your goal is to eliminate extra cleanup.

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4. Citrus Reamer

The citrus reamer performs adequately, but once again, you can expect to encounter a fair number of seeds in the extracted juice. While it’s a simple and familiar tool, it’s not the best because you'll need to strain seeds afterward. It's also worth noting that straining will result in some juice being lost in the process.

3. Long Skewer or Metal Straw

This was another internet hack I ran across, and the method proved unexpectedly fruitful (pun intended!). By using a large skewer or metal straw to puncture the lemon at one end, you can watch the juice flow out effortlessly, with minimal seeds. While it can get a bit messy as the juice continues to flow until the fruit is tilted upward, it requires little effort and eliminates the need for a knife or cutting board.

If squeezing is a challenge for you, this simple, almost mess-free technique offers a fantastic alternative. Skewers are available in bulk for under $5 on Amazon, making them a very affordable tool.

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2. Citrus Press

A favorite among many home cooks, the citrus press is a user-friendly tool that does the job with relative ease. However, if you have a weak grip, getting every last drop of juice may require extra effort, sometimes even forcing you to use both hands.

Overall, the press does a fantastic job of fully juicing the fruit, with minimal seeds and pulp in the finished product. The only caveat is that the juice can spray, so it’s important to use a sufficiently large juicing bowl to catch the liquid. A handheld citrus press can be purchased for approximately $10-$15 on Amazon.

1. Electric Juicer

By far the most effective method, and my favorite, for extracting juice, an electric juicer guarantees maximum yield with minimal seeds and pulp.

While not everyone may have this tool on hand, and the cleanup can be a bit of a hassle—especially with small holes designed to catch seeds and pulp requiring extra attention—the benefits truly outweigh the drawbacks when it comes to selecting the best juicing option.

What I love most is the ability to control the amount of pulp in the finished product. Because sometimes, especially with orange juice, you might want just a little pulp.

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